Title: Relational dynamics and decision making for the organisation of the Olympic Games in France

Authors: Frédéric Lassalle

Addresses: CREGO – EA 7317, IAE Dijon, Burgundy University, 2 Boulevard Gabriel, BP 26611, 21066 Dijon Cedex, Dijon, France

Abstract: The contribution of this research resides in the proposal of a comprehension tool allowing to represent the relational dynamics and the decision making within the framework of a bid for an international sports event. To control the selection and organisation phases, the International Olympic Committee maintains close relations with the candidate cities. It is legitimate to question the power profiles of the candidates and the decision made. The methodology is qualitative through expert interviews and data collection from the press on the specific case of French bids for the organisation of summer and Winter Olympic Games since 1968. The results obtained within the framework of French bids make it possible to verify that relational dynamics and power profiles have an impact on the selection of the candidate city. Relational dynamics are present in the literature on sport management, they very rarely appear under the aspect of relational dynamics.

Keywords: corporate strategy; relational dynamics; sport organisation; International Olympic Committee; IOC; Olympic Games; France.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2025.142930

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2025 Vol.24 No.1, pp.1 - 18

Received: 04 Oct 2022
Accepted: 21 Apr 2023
Published online: 02 Dec 2024 *

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